The Campaign

Millions of urban Indian commuters use 3-wheeled auto rickshaws with canvas canopies and no doors since they cost less than cabs. Bajaj Auto plans to launch RE60- a new breed of four-wheeled vehicles that combine safety and comfort of a car with the affordability of auto rickshaws. To be commercially successful, RE60 needs to convince policy makers to create a new vehicle classification-A four-wheeler but NOT a car, to avoid being slotted in the highly taxed car category. The top priority for policy makers is to curb pollution. We decided our strategy would focus on RE60’s ultra low emissions to influence policy makers. To start the campaign, we tactically planned a showcase event just before India’s largest automotive show, AUTO EXPO to ride on high attention levels among policy makers and media. Invites featuring a banyan tree seed built intrigue. The story of RE60- Small Simple Solution to Curb Pollution came alive in a film featuring an unhappy bird pained by city pollution and finding solace in the RE60. Our tactic of holding the event just before the Expo generated 200 million impressions in print and television and built huge anticipation for RE60 among policy makers, commuters and 3-wheeler owners. Top policy makers were among the 20,000 visitors to the RE60 display at the Expo. While policy makers are considering new regulations, a survey among 5000 auto rickshaw owners indicates that most of them plan to upgrade to RE60 when it is launched.

The Brief

The goal was to build very high interest levels among policy makers, commuters and auto rickshaw owners to look at RE60 as the future of affordable green urban mass transport. Policy makers should view it as a new green mass transport category and support it with new regulation. Market intelligence suggested that clutter from launches of other automobile brands during Auto Expo may not give an opportunity to build the story of the uniqueness of RE60.

Results

Our tactic of holding the event just before the Expo generated 200 million impressions in print and television and more than 120,000 views on the RE60 on YouTube. The buzz built huge anticipation for RE60 among policy makers, commuters and 3-wheeler owners. Top policy makers were among the 20,000 visitors to the RE60 display at the Expo. Among Policy makers who visited RE60 display included Dr Sudhir Krishna, Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development, Nitin Gokarn, Joint Secretary, Road Transport and Highways, R. Ashok, Minister of Transport- Karnataka and Dinesh Mohan (IIT Delhi- Expert on Urban Transport). While policy makers are considering new regulations, a survey among 5000 auto rickshaw owners indicates that most of them would like to upgrade to RE60 when it is commercially launched.

Execution

A showcase event in Delhi on RE60-The Small Simple Solution to curb pollution was held on January 3, 2012, four days before the Auto Expo. Invites featuring an authentic banyan tree seed built intrigue. The story of how RE60 scored over other options with its small footprint, ultra low carbon emissions, safety and affordability was told through an animation film featuring an unhappy bird pained by city pollution that finally finds a perfect answer in RE60. A prototype of RE60 was showcased to demonstrate its safety features, comfort and small footprint. A Clock powered by water was given to media in the kit to further reinforce the message that time is ticking away for commuters waiting for green transportation options. This was followed by personal invites to top policy makers and influencers to visit the RE60 display at the Auto Expo.

The Situation

Bajaj Auto – the world’s largest manufacturer of three-wheelers, plans to revolutionize urban mass transportation with its new four wheeled vehicle-RE60. RE60 promises a ‘unique’ solution for urban commuters- safer and more comfortable than 3-wheeled auto rickshaws, yet cheaper than cabs. Ahead of its commercial launch as a mass transport vehicle, RE60 needs to attract attention of policy makers to create a new vehicle classification-A four-wheeler but NOT a car, to avoid being slotted in the highly taxed car category. Policy makers, however, want to restrict the growth of vehicles to curb pollution in cities.

The Strategy

We decided our strategy to influence policy makers would be to highlight that RE60 will set a global benchmark in CO2 emissions – an unbelievable 60 gm/km. To start the campaign, we tactically planned a showcase event just before India’s largest automotive show, AUTO EXPO to ride on high attention levels among policy makers and media. The event would not be used as a usual product launch but to build a case for RE60 as the future of affordable green public transport options for commuters. The focus was to highlight the product’s ultra low CO2 emissions and small footprint- key considerations for policy makers for differentiating it from a car. Buzz ahead of the show will also help attract commuters and auto rickshaw owners to visit the RE60 display at the Expo.